The present disclosure relates to self-driving cars (“SDCs”).
Self-driving cars are a rapidly developing field of technology. One aspect of SDC technology is the ability for a SDC to autonomously park itself. Typically, SDC parking modules use radar and/or cameras to detect and adjust for hard barriers that the car might impact—e.g., other cars, light posts, high curbs, and the like. Typically, SDC parking modules do not account for surface road hazards such as potholes, ice, mud, snow, or puddles. On non-asphalt or non-concrete roads, the probabilities of puddles, mud, or hidden holes are very high. Dangerous animals, such as snakes or wild dogs, also can be present. Accordingly it is possible for a passenger to disembark from an autonomously parked SDC directly into a road hazard. This is not only inconvenient for the passenger, it also may be dangerous.